Tecmo Koei today announced that Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, the latest chapter in the famed action series, is coming to the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. In the Team Ninja-developed title, the enigmatic warrior Ryu Hayabusa must fight to lift a curse that threatens to destroy him.

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge features additional playable characters, a new gameplay mode, a redesigned battle system with enhanced enemy AI, a robust Ninja Skills upgrade system, expanded online features including bonus content, and a host of other features. The game is scheduled to launch both at retail and via digital download on the 2nd of April in North America and on the 5th of April 2013.

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is the most action-packed and feature rich Ninja Gaiden game ever created,” said Yosuke Hayashi, Team Ninja leader. “The brutal combat will challenge the hardest of hardcore Ninja Gaiden fans while also rewarding them with tons of bonus content and new features including three playable female characters, new stages, and three times as many Ninja Trial missions.”

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge was designed from the ground up to satisfy core action fans with a redesigned battle system, improved enemy AI, the greatly reduced interactive QTE scenes, and the return of dismemberment. Even with severed arms or legs, enemies will fight on and players will find they have to change attacks on the fly to win brutally tough battles—the challenge level leaves little room for error. The Ninja Skills systems lets players use Karma earned in combat to freely purchase weapon and Ninpo upgrades, feats, and costumes. Adding to the variety of gameplay, Kasumi, Ayane, and Momiji all join Hayabusa as playable characters. Ayane will get her own chapters in Story Mode while all three female characters can be played in the new Chapter Challenge mode and Ninja Trials co-op play with multiple costume options.

Chapter Challenge mode is available with ten chapters including all-new Ayane stages. In this mode, players will compete for the highest score possible in each chapter of the story. Six brutal weapons are available to Hayabusa throughout the game, including the new Jinran-Maru & Blade of the Archfiend dual swords, Lunar Staff, and Kusari-gama. Additionally, Inferno, Wind Blades, and Piercing Void have been added as deadly new Ninpo. In the new Tests of Valor challenge, players who find Crystal Skulls hidden in each level will be transported to face off in skill-testing battles with familiar bosses from the NINJA GAIDEN series.

The online features in Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge have been greatly expanded, with all the previously paid DLC from Ninja Gaiden 3 available as a bonus. The Ninja Skills upgrade system works online to let players use Karma to purchase 64 customizable features for the Unknown Ninja used in multiplayer Clan Battles. Supporting up to eight players, five brand new Clan Battle stages have been added. Players can use all of Hayabusa’s weapons and Ninpo in Clan Battles, giving them access to their favorite methods of attack. The number of missions in Ninja Trials has been tripled to a total of 100, and all four playable characters—Hayabusa, Ayane, Momiji, and Kasumi—can be used in this co-op mode.